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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23142142">look at us now</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentmaine/pseuds/agentmaine'>agentmaine</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Adventure Zone (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Found Family, Gen, M/M, Older!Angus, Parent Fic, Time Skips, literally just tooth-rotting fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 09:34:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,487</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23142142</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentmaine/pseuds/agentmaine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's ten years post Story and Song, and a certain boy detective is graduating top of his class. Taako and Kravitz cope just about as well as expected.</p><p>- inspired by the prompt "things you said after it was over."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Angus McDonald &amp; Taako, Kravitz &amp; Angus McDonald, Kravitz/Taako (The Adventure Zone)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>128</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>look at us now</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The passing of time is… different, depending on who you are. The Day of Story and Song was a decade ago and for Taako’s human friends, it shows on them. Magnus sports new wrinkles around his eyes, little crow’s feet from years of laughter, a few streaks of grey beginning to form in his hair and beard. Taako jokes that he’s a DILF, now, a true silver fox and that Kravitz better keep him in check, but the weight of ten years weighs heavy on his mind. Ten years is so </span>
  <em>
    <span>long </span>
  </em>
  <span>for humans, which is ridiculous, he thinks, especially considering they lived a </span>
  <em>
    <span>century </span>
  </em>
  <span>and, oh, y’know, saved the </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Surely they should be allowed extra time for that, he’s argued, countless times. And countless times, Kravitz has had to let him down gently, say that that’s not </span>
  <em>
    <span>quite </span>
  </em>
  <span>how it works.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s never enough of it, time. Even with Taako’s lifespan, so long that ten years means </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing </span>
  </em>
  <span>to him, and the knowledge that his husband and sister are both safe from it’s cruel passage, it does almost nothing to reassure him. He, really, doesn’t have to worry too much about time passing, or death, for a long, long time. But that doesn’t soothe him one bit - It’ll affect the other people he loves and he loathes thinking of that, of a time when they won’t be around, it makes his chest tighten and his breath come short and fast and it’s awful, horrible, that he has saved the fucking world and still can’t wrap them all up and protect them from this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But, today, he tries not to focus on that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Today, looking not a day older than he did ten years ago, with Kravitz by his side (who, Taako says, grinning from ear to ear, still looks as hot as ever), time has done him proud. Because today Angus is 21 years old – which, quite frankly, should be fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>illegal </span>
  </em>
  <span>– and is graduating top of his class at the most prestigious university for spellcasters and academics.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s the culmination of years of work on Angus’ part, grown from the seeds planted all those years ago in the moon base, being taught the basics of spellcasting. And now, a blink later, here he is - the smartest kid on the block, just as he always was. There was a time Angus was worried about burnout, worried that he was only going to be so spectacular for so long, before it crumbled and he became the worst thing he could think of - average. Taako had laughed at him then, big, hearty laughs, rolling his eyes and calling him stupid. And, as is always the case, Taako was right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had nothing to worry about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taako stands to the side with Kravitz, a few steps away from the bustling crowd of parents all congratulating their children, fussing over them and adjusting their gowns and caps. He holds onto Kravitz’s arm as if it’s an anchor, steadying him, grasping tighter than he’d like to admit. Kravitz, on cue, always the mind-reader, leans over and presses a kiss to Taako’s head. “It’s strange, isn’t it, love?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>yeah</span>
  </em>
  <span>, it’s strange.” Taako laughs, incredulous. “Shit, look at him. That’s not our Agnes – our kid was fucking, jeez, tiny, little, I could punt him across the room if I wanted to. That guy over there could beat my ASS, Krav. I don’t think my kid should be able to kick my ass!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taako gestures over to where Angus stands, talking to one of his professors. The boy – the </span>
  <em>
    <span>man</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Taako corrects himself – stands just over six foot tall and is now somehow both stronger and taller than Taako. But despite that, the same mop of brown curls and the same adorable round glasses accompany him, as unchanged as his smile and wonderful, polite, inquisitive nature.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit.” Kravitz curses, quiet, and it’s out of character for him. When Taako looks over, he’s using the hand not on his husband to wipe his eyes, misty with tears. “You’re right, my love. I think… I think our boy isn’t exactly a </span>
  <em>
    <span>kid </span>
  </em>
  <span>anymore, is he?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, fuck, you weren’t meant to cry.” Taako complains, feeling the familiar sting of tears behind his own eyes. “I said if you didn’t cry, I wouldn’t cry, you asshole! What happened to the deal?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Taako! Don’t blame me! You </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>I cry at everything, I cried at that yogurt commercial last week and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that, while both men frantically try rubbing their eyes and blinking back tears, about to start bickering childishly, a habit unbroken even after years at each other’s side, Angus walks over to them, beaming from ear to ear. “Hey, Krav, Taako! I’ve missed you both so – wait, are you both </span>
  <em>
    <span>crying?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck off, pipsqueak, no. It’s dusty in here!” Taako snaps, sniffing frantically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the same time, Kravitz responds plainly – “Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aw, Dad – “ Angus hugs Taako close and Taako fucking resents that the boy is taller than him, considers casting something to make himself appear taller, just to feel like he has some leviety in this situation. But he doesn’t, of course he doesn’t, how can he? “You too, Pops.” At that, the boy pulls Kravitz in too, and they hug each other close and tight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, I wouldn’t be here without you both.” Angus says, soft and low. “I love you both </span>
  <em>
    <span>so </span>
  </em>
  <span>much. I just… Can’t thank you enough for everything. You saved the world, duh, that’s a big one. But you gave me a family.” He smiles, nudging Taako lightly. “Even when you pretended you hate me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taako sniffs, loud, a tear running down his cheek. “Still do hate you, Agnes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Angus smiles at that and Taako takes a moment to look at his boy, his little man, see all that’s changed and all that hasn’t. He’s older, but he’s still so wonderfully Agnus, and Taako sends a quiet prayer up to every God listening for that. He looks at the dimple on Angus’ left cheek, his shining eyes, his bright disposition, feels somewhat soothed, reminding that the old and the new aren’t opposing forces, they overlap, red and blue making purple and all the shades within it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure you hate me, Dad.” Angus rolls his eyes, years of this teasing making it comfortable, reassuring. “That’s why you’re crying over me being all grown up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just so happy to finally get rid of you, kid.” Taako smiles, wiping his eyes slightly again. “Now go away, your friends over there want you – oh, </span>
  <em>
    <span>friends, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I see, that’s the blonde pony tail person you were telling us about last week, Coffee Date one –”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he can continue, Angus has delivered a sharp blow to the stomach, dirty fighting techniques clearly picked up from Taako himself so, really, the elf has nobody to blame. Angus kisses each of his dads on the cheek quickly and waves at them with a shout of being back over soon before running off to join his friends.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taako watches him, then, as he’s embraced by yet another circle of people that love him, the group laughing and descending into rapid conversation. He watches as the person Angus undoubtedly has a crush on rests their hand on his arm, watches as his son’s face flushes, thinks about being that young again, full of life and mischief and ready for anything. He imagines the boy’s future and although he fucking hates how little time Angus has compared to him – if he thinks about it for too long he’ll sob; he’d give all his years to that kid in a second if he had the chance – he’s so incredibly happy that he has that future in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Taak.” Kravitz says, soft and gentle, and it’s only then Taako realises he’s streaming with tears. “It’s okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The taller of the two pulls Taako in close, presses him to his chest and hugs him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We did good, my love.” He says, confident.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Taako nods, voice slightly muffled against Kravitz’s neck. “Yeah, we did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it cheesy if I say he’s going to be amazing?” Kravitz asks, the curl of a smile evident in his voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taako laughs, then, a bubbling little giggle that mixes in with the elation, the terror, the heartbreak and the aching, burying, overwhelming pride that both drowns him and makes him feel like he could float. “Yes, it’s fucking cheesy.” He pauses a moment, turning and looking back at Angus again. “Plus, it’s not even accurate.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kravitz smiles, already expecting the words that follow, years by Taako’s side attuning him to this, as well as the years spent with Angus making him know it’s just </span>
  <em>
    <span>true. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He follows Taako’s gaze and looks at Angus alongside him, the pride so strong it’s almost tangible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taako smiles, continues speaking, in a way that’s at once such an ending, and such a beginning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s already amazing.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thank you for reading! the title of this fic is taken from the song "it gets better" by Rex Orange County</p><p>this is just some self-serving taako, krav, ango found family soup for the soul, a short lil thing that was very fun to write while also being gut-wrenchingly sad about the difference between elven and human lifespans so, like, there's that.</p><p>as always, i'm over at goldciiffs on twitter - come say hi if you fancy!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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